Christophobia in the Media?

Christophobia has been described as the irrational fear, hatred, or loathing of Christianity or Christians. Is this condition rampant in our media?

ABC Television Network is taking criticism for recent Christophobic remarks of one of the hosts of the daytime talk show “The View” who suggested that Vice President Mike Pence’s practice of praying to God is like a “mental illness.” His “talking to Jesus” and then “hearing Jesus” talk to him is foreign to the host and funny to her audience.

Of course, Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27. Even Oprah said she expected God to tell her if He (or is it She?) wanted her to run for President in 2020.

Just this week, President Trump’s nominee to be deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, was finally approved by the Senate Budget Committee. He is expected to finally get a full vote by the Senate next week.

Despite the fact that there is to be no “religious test” for government service, Vought was targeted by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) in his confirmation hearings last June for his Christian faith. Sanders suggested Vought held Islamophobic views and declared that Vought was “really not someone who this country is supposed to be about.”

This kind of mocking of Christians and the Christian faith has become common in our society. These stalwarts of “tolerance” would never make a similar criticism of Islam or its adherents, but Christianity has become “fair game.” It is part of the rather mild but alarming persecution of Jesus-followers of our day, in the Christianized West.

More severe and even deadly persecution comes from Islamic terrorists in other parts of the world. ISIS soldiers (and other radicalized Islamists) have lined up and shot Christians “in the name of Allah” in Muslim dominated countries in Africa and Asia.

Just last week, the online news source Jihad Watch had this shocking headline: “Nigeria: Muslims wipe out 15 villages in the mass slaughter of Christians, the government does nothing.”

With Islamic terrorist groups like Boko Haram still on the prowl in northern Nigeria and with systemic governmental corruption, Islamic (Fulani) tribesmen are “defending Islam” by raping and killing villagers, unabated.

Even in civilized Europe, an 85-year-old priest was brutally murdered by Islamists during mass in his church in France, less than two years ago. Similar deaths have occurred among Christian Copts in Egypt.

Whether or not media-talking-heads are spouting Christophobic remarks or showing “anti-Christian bias” or not, it is clear that Christan persecution is taking place around the world and the “progressive” media are complicit.

Atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Humanism, Islam, Satanism, and even Kawanzaaism are given a giddy pass by the press. But Christians and Christianity are certain targets of the Left.

Gary Curtis is a recently retired minister who writes a blog, where he seeks to relate a biblical worldview regarding societal issues of public interest.
Trying to be “salt and light,” as Jesus commands, these brief blog-posts are primarily pro-life, pro-family and pro-religious liberties, while also speaking up for the people and nation of Israel.